


Imagine: You, Castiel, and Jack redefining for one another what it means to be a family.

by webcricket



Series: Castiel Imagines [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Family, dadstiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2019-02-07 07:08:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12835923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/webcricket/pseuds/webcricket
Summary: Warning - SPN season 13 spoilers!





	Imagine: You, Castiel, and Jack redefining for one another what it means to be a family.

“Jack?” Castiel’s low voice rumbles, echoing thunder in your ear resting upon the firm pillow of his chest and disturbing you from the deep serenity of slumber.

You shift to sit up in the bed, rubbing the weariness from your eyes and squinting against the bright light illuminating the figure standing in the doorway. Castiel’s hand presses flat and soothing to your back in silent apology for waking you. Alertness flooding with concern for the boy, you ask in a sleep mumbled garble, “What’s wrong, Jack?”

He looks up, mouth drawn, brow tensing, features bashful and uncertain of intruding upon the intimacy of you and the angel so freshly returned from the Empty.

“Did you have a bad dream?” you urge him to answer in a soft tone. He doesn’t sleep much, but when he does, you know his mind is troubled with self-doubt. Dogged by a fear of letting you all down, he worries about his ability to overcome Lucifer’s lineage – whether he is truly as good as you all believe him to be.

The boy nods, anxious focus vacillating between the threshold and the hall; he is poised to flee.

Glancing over your shoulder at Cas, the sympathetic glinting of your eyes in the dim light relays all the angel needs to know. Jack may look like a teen, but emotionally he is no more developed than a small child. He needs his parents, needs the grounding and reassuring innocence of this connection. In Kelly’s staid, in Castiel’s absence, you’ve been the surrogate he seeks out for comfort. Nudging your understanding angel closer to the edge of the bed, sliding yourself to the center of the mattress, you peel back the weight of the comforter and pat the now empty space beside you. “Come on.”

Jack’s eyes flit from your gesturing hand to Cas’ warm regard, wordlessly seeking permission to encroach upon the sanctity of your shared bed. When the angel bobs his head, aspect softening in a small accepting smile, the boy’s frame visibly relaxes, expression regaining its luster as his nervousness dissipates. Unable to contain his relieved smile, he lunges forward, leaping onto the end of the bed and crawling to curl up at your side.

“Do you want to talk about it?” you ask, smoothing a shock of ruddy blonde hair away from his lashes as he settles in.

“Not really,” he murmurs and shakes his head, folding his hands together and tucking them beneath his cheek, “I just…I just didn’t want to be alone. I wasn’t sure if this, if it was okay to bother you now that-”

“You’re not a bother,” Cas interrupts him, reaching across you to squeeze the boy’s shoulder and affectionately ruffle his hair. “Rest now, I’ll watch over you both.” Cas remembers reading about this before Jack was born – children searching for solace in their guardian’s bed when they feel overwhelmed. He’s proud – proud you’ve been there for Jack and proud Jack isn’t bottling up these negative emotions and trying to handle the burden alone. The boy reminds Cas a lot of himself – the angel, too, finds security and faith in your tender embrace.

You heart bursts with love at the angel’s simple action. For all his qualms and professed uncertainties in light of his own absentee dad, his natural protective instincts and self-sacrificing nature already make him a more capable father than he knows. You toss the comforter over Jack and lean over to plant a light kiss to his forehead, whispering, “Goodnight, my sweet Jack.”

Exhausted, his eyelids become heavy and flutter shut.

You snuggle back against your angel, humming a sigh of contentment nestled between your boys. You gave up on the idea of a family a long time ago when you entered this life. Yet here they are, where you least expected to find them, more perfect than you could have prayed for, and you wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world.

Cas drapes an arm over your waist, cuddling you to his torso. Perceiving the prayerful tone of your thoughts, he’s glad you’re happy. Glad you’ve been given the one thing he is incapable of giving you in all of creation without also losing you in the process. Nuzzling his scruffy chin to your neck, he quietly murmurs into your skin as drowsiness seizes hold of you, “I always knew you’d be an amazing mother.”


End file.
